Anchored Ministries of Elverson is hoping to make attending the prom a bit less expensive for students at Twin Valley High School (TVHS) by offering them free formal wear, shoes and accessories.

The community is invited to participate in the effort by providing donations. "We need dresses, shoes, jewelry, formal purses and clutch bags and new makeup," said Erika Kanter, who runs the ministry along with her husband, Ian. "We are also taking suits for the boys, ties and dress shoes. We ask that (donations) be clean and in good condition."

Donations are being accepted at Anchored Ministries, 40 S. Chestnut St., Elverson, on Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Anchored Ministries will set up a one-day Prom Boutique at TVHS on Friday, March 18, where students will be able to choose whatever items they may need to attend the prom.

"We set up in two rooms off the cafeteria and we set up dressing rooms with dividers. It literally looks like a boutique," said Erika. "The teachers are really great in letting (the students) pop out of (class) for a little bit, or they can come during lunch. We tag the dress (or suit), and when they are leaving school, they can come and pick (them) up. We put the items in a garment bag with their name on it."

This year, the public is also invited to donate gift cards that will be given out to students at the boutique through a random drawing. "Whether you find a dress or not, you can enter into a drawing to win a gift card for a local hair salon or for jewelry or a nail certificate (for a manicure)," said Erika. "(We want to provide all of) the extras to help them have a good night."

All items will be provided by Anchored Ministries free of charge. "Everything is 100 percent free," said Erika. "A lot of girls wind up donating their dresses back. It's not required, but if they would like to, they can."

The prom collection is just one of Anchored Ministries' many charitable programs designed to help the community. Anchored Ministries also owns and operates a mobile clothing closet housed inside a trailer, which has been converted to hold clothing on racks for newborns through adults, along with shoes, toiletries and blankets.

The mobile clothing closet stops at various locations, including CrossNet Ministries in New Holland and at the Honey Brook Food Pantry.

"We travel to Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Lancaster counties," said Erika. "We want to reach as many people as possible."

Clothing donations for the mobile clothing closet can be placed in either vestibule at MCC church, located at 4221 Main St. in Elverson.

Anchored Ministries also offers free takeout meals on the second Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. at MCC. "We put a table out during our community meals with groceries that people can take," Erika noted.

For more information about Anchored Ministries, including volunteer opportunities, visit http://www.facebook.com/AnchoredMinistriesPA or http://www.anchoredministries.org. Those who would like to arrange a time to drop off their donations for the Prom Boutique may contact Erika through the Facebook page.